5 Minute Express Abs and Obliques Workout

Calorie burn:

Minutes:

Difficulty:

2

Equipment Needed:

No Equipment

Workout type:

Toning

Body focus:

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Workout Details

This quick Abs & Obliques Workout is perfect for tacking onto the end of a strength training or cardio workout.

Not only is this routine short, it also moves very quickly so that you get the most benefit from the shortest time period possible. To squeeze in every bit of toning benefit possible, we did this with zero rest periods, in one single shot. Instead of showing our usual 10 second demo clip of the upcoming exercise, we give you just 5 seconds of transition time in between core exercises. This means you need to move very quickly.

Watch the upper left hand corner of your screen for a short clip of each upcoming core move.

Toe Touch Crunches – Kick your feet up in the air (as straight as your hamstrings flexibility will allow), and reach upward for your toes.

“W” Leg Lifts – Lie on your back with your feet straight up in the air above your hip joint. With feet sticking together, lower them down towards the floor, and then out and up to make a “W” shape. Retrace the motion until you end up back in that starting position with your legs straight up in the air.

Knee Tuck Crunches – Sit on your bum with back straight and lean back while extending your legs out away from your body, without resting your feet on the ground. Come back up and repeat, without ever letting your feet rest on the ground. Make it harder by not using your hands to support yourself while you do the motion.

Back Bows – Lie on your stomach and pull your thighs and upper body/arms up off of the mat at the same time. This one is a great lower back exercises that also targets the glutes, thighs and shoulders.

Side Hip Raises – Go into a side plank; raise and lower your body in order to feel a good burn in your obliques. You can make this one harder by going into a full plank, with your bodyweight resting in stacked feet & forearm. Repeat this one on both sides of the body.

Crisscross Crunch – Lie flat on your back and bring one leg in to a 90 degree angle; bring the opposite elbow up to that knee, lower both and then repeat the motions on opposite sides of the body. Focus on not bringing that knee in closer than that right angle to make the move harder and more effective.

Static Plank – Push up so that your weight is resting in your forearms and toes; hold this position for 2 seconds. You can make this easier by doing the modified version, with weight in forearms and knees.

Reclined Oblique Crunches – Lie on your back with your upper body propped up on your forearms. Lift one straight leg up in the air (as far as your flexibility will allow) and reach for it with the opposite hand. We do 25 seconds on one side, and then 25 seconds on the other.

These 5 intensive minutes doing abs are definitely effective, but you also have to remember that all the abdominal exercises in the world will not get you a flat stomach or defined abs if you aren’t diligent about a healthy diet, regular cardio (of varied intensities), and total body strength training. You can’t spot reduce – you have to reduce overall body fat, and it takes a consistent combination of all of the aforementioned variables in order to see the results reflected on your midsection.